More drivers are turning to service shops for light vehicle repairs than going the do-it-yourself route, according to a recent report from Lang Marketing Resources Inc., a New Jersey firm that specializes in the automotive products industry.
Over the past 10 years, DIY purchases have dropped from nearly 31% to 25.3% of the car and light truck product market, says Lang Marketing President Jim Lang.
He notes, however, that there are "significant geographic differences in service and DIY market product share.
"As a group, states west of the Mississippi have a substantially larger share of aftermarket product volume accounted for by DIY sales than eastern regions."
California, Oregon and Washington comprise 30% of aftermarket DIY purchases alone, according to Lang.
"In contrast, the service market captures the largest share of car and light truck aftermarket product volume in New England (80%), followed by the West North Central region (79%), along with the East North Central (77%) and Middle Atlantic (77%) states. Southern states represented by the South Atlantic and East South Central regions average 75% service market product volume."
